“It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year,” sings Andy Williams in my head, usually when I’m looking for a parking space at the grocery store, way in the back. But the singing is not always sarcastic in my head and I know that for my young children, each day of December holds the promise of something holiday related. Unfortunately, while Christmas can bring out the best in our giving spirits, it can also be a nightmare of consumerism at its worst and the packaging, wrappings, and trappings of holiday celebrations both small and large make it even worse. Fighting the “gimmes” with children at this time of year can be hard, especially when Santa is supposedly able to bring anything your child’s heart desires. Read on to learn how you can you make the holidays a little greener for the planet, a little kinder for everyone, and little lighter on your wallet.

Advertisement

Although December has become the most commercialized time of year, celebrating the holidays doesn’t have to center around spending lots of money on things you don’t need. In addition to the religious holidays, this time of year is traditionally a time to celebrate the natural world and the winter solstice. In the spirit of the season, we’ve rounded a few ways to celebrate the season without getting caught up in the materialist mindset. From nature-inspired decorations to vegan menu ideas, read on to be inspired by some natural holiday traditions from around the world.

This year, fill the stockings of your loved ones with the things they really crave. Whether you are shopping for the beauty junkie or the outdoor lover, we’ve got you covered with the perfect stocking stuffer, no matter who is on your list. Click on for things like gorgeous green nail polish, clever coaster/bottle opener sets and seed bomb kits that will beautify the neighborhood.

Everybody loves Hanukkah; the festival of lights that comes but once a year! Every December, we look forward to this joy-filled excuse to stuff our faces with fried potatoes, sour cream, and apple sauce, but eight days of burning candles, giving gifts, and frying pancakes could lead to some seriously wasteful behavior. Not to worry, all you eco Hanukkah lovers—there are plenty of ways that you can green up this year’s holiday celebration, and here are five smart tips to get you started!

Do you have a way with words and a passion for design and the environment? Inhabitat is hiring dedicated writers interested in covering breaking developments in the fields of sustainable design, green architecture, clean technology, and environmental news. Our ideal candidates avidly follow developments in one or more of these fields and are able to source and write daily stories with speed, clarity, precision and wit. We’re offering a platform to broadcast your voice to millions of monthly readers around the globe as well as the ability to work from anywhere and competitive per-post pay. If you think you’d be a great new addition to the Inhabitat team, send the following information to editor [at] inhabitat.com with the headline “New Inhabitat Writer“:

1. A cover letter telling us a bit about yourself, what your interests/specialties are, and why you would make a fantastic writer for Inhabitat.

2. Three published story clips or links to online articles you have written.

When you’ve got time on your hands, why not spend some of it thinking about sustainability? The gorgeous line of WeWOOD watches not only keeps you punctual, but are also eco-luxe, made as they are from beautifully finished woods that are either sustainably grown or reclaimed. The watches convey the gentle message that fashion can be sustainable, and also brings a new tree into the world, planted by American Forests. Inhabitat took the versatile Jupiter model for a time-honored test drive -- hit the jump for all the juicy details.

Now that it's December, it's time to deck the halls with festive decor! A new wave of extremely energy-efficient LED holiday lights means your winter season will be even merrier and brighter. Not only do LED lights save a ton on electricity (80–90% compared to incandescents!), they are also durable and very long lasting. For enthusiastic holiday decorators this could mean savings of hundreds of dollars, which is well worth the upgrade to the more efficient technology. In that spirit, Inhabitat has produced a round up of eight of our favorite new LED light strands for the holidays, including indoor ultra-mini strands, battery-powered strands and heavy-duty outdoor lights.

By now, you’ve probably seen videos and photos of Black Friday, where people have beaten each other up and shoved little old ladies aside in order to buy, buy, buy at low, low prices. Cyber Monday is another marketing blitz in which mega-sales occur online so folks can whip out credit cards and buy at a distance, pushing rabid consumerism to an all-time high. Thankfully, Giving Tuesday has come about to counteract the ill effects of the past few days by encouraging people to give to charity instead of spending money on “stuff.”

As winter draws closer, a good Netflix marathon is sometimes the perfect medicine to soothe any instances of SAD. Once you've caught up on Orange is The New Black, we suggest binging on inspiring true stories. Here are ten must-see, compelling and critically acclaimed documentaries you can watch (or re-watch) on Netflix right now.

Quebec City’s beautiful Hotel de Glace will open its doors again on 5 January, 2015. In 2012, Inhabitat was on hand to spend the night inside this frosty winter citadel! That year the ice hotel was designed around the theme of The Northern Quebec and was inspired by the art and culture of the First Nations. Read on for a first-hand look inside this incredible building made from ice and snow!

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it's time to find something to do with all of those leftovers! Although the holiday is one of our favorites, it often ends in people throwing out a huge amount of food that contributes to the 34 million tons of American food waste each year. This holiday, keep your turkey and side dishes around for a couple more days - instead of just re-heating, try out these delicious recipes that reinvent your family feast down to the last cranberry. You'll not only help the environment, but you will also save a pretty penny to spend later on holiday gifts.